


Are You Still Awake

by Multishipperlove



Category: Critical Role (Web Series) RPF
Genre: Collars, F/M, Non-Sexual Kink, Puppy Play, background Matthew Mercer/Marisha Ray, lots of cuddling and touching, sleeping issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 17:42:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19067488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multishipperlove/pseuds/Multishipperlove
Summary: Another tag-on to CowRole's Be A Good Boy. It's Matt's first night at Laura's and Travis' house, and he's having some trouble with falling asleep.





	Are You Still Awake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CowRole](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CowRole/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Be A Good Boy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18939340) by [CowRole](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CowRole/pseuds/CowRole). 



> So this basically plays between chapter 4 and chapter 5. I don't know where the original story is actually going and don't claim this to be canon in the setting, I just like playing with other people's stories :) With permission, of course.

The evening ends with Matt basically falling asleep on the couch, still cuddled up right between Laura and Travis. He's warm, his belly is full, and there are constantly hands on him, soothing him further. Yeah, no wonder he doesn't stay awake for long.

Travis finally calls it a night and sends him to bed, after gently rousing him from his slumber. Matthew hesitates. There's a part of him that doesn't want to go yet, but on the other hand he supposes it doesn't make much sense to stay down here if all he does is sleep anyway, so he finally nods and gets up.

“We'll be up in a few minutes as well, if you need anything let us know,” Laura tells him as the couple gets up as well, travis clearing away their plates as Laura already hugs him good night. “Sleep well, Matthew.”

“You too, I'll see you tomorrow,” he mumbles, waiting for Travis to get back into the living room so he can say good night to the other man as well before heading upstairs. He changes into the sleeping clothes he'd brought but leaves the collar for now, not wanting to take it off just yet. It only comes off once he's brushed his teeth, done his business and can finally slip under the covers. Then he takes it off and carefully places it on the empty nightstand, right next to his plugged-in phone.

The room is quiet and dark around him, and at first he's confident that he won't have any trouble falling asleep. After all, it wasn't an issue downstairs. But he lays awake for a while, curled up with his eyes closed, trying to think of nothing and let his breathing even out. It's not happening.

After about 20 minutes maybe he hears Laura and Travis coming up the stairs. He hears footsteps coming up to his door and stopping there for a moment, before they disappear into the master bedroom. Had they been checking on him, trying to listen through the door? Would he be in trouble for staying up? Well, it's not like he isn't trying, he thinks to himself, shifting a bit in his bed now. A few minutes pass, he can can't hear them talking but he hears water running in the bath connected to their room, briefly, he hears Laura laugh.

The small sliver of light coming from under the door, from the hallway, eventually shuts off as well, and now it's quiet again. And dark. And quiet.

And he still can't sleep.

By now he's shifted positions a couple of times, desperately hoping that this won't turn into a night of tossing and turning and getting up the next morning with no idea whether he's actually slept or not. Thinking that he maybe just needs to distract himself from his thoughts he reaches for his phone, turning on some mindless match three game that he hasn't played in a while. It only manages to entertain him for so long, and by the time he puts it away again his eyes are burning slightly but other than that, nothing has changed.

His mind is racing by now, and the bed which had seemed so comfortable before was starting to feel empty and cold.

Deciding that just laying in the dark wasn't going to do anything good he sat up, considering his options. He could call Marisha, but by now it was way past midnight and he didn't actually want to wake her up, she needed her energy for the next day. That left him with continuing to at least try and sleep, or give up and pull and all nighter, maybe finish the book he was reading or even get some work done. Option one would most likely not work and leave him tired and irritated, which would lead to trouble. Option two would definitely get him into even more trouble, and he would still be tired and irritated by the end of it.

Well, there was one more thing he could try, but he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He could try waking Laura and Travis, maybe even ask to stay with them, just for tonight. From experience, that would be the most likely to get him the fuck to sleep, but other than that he had no idea how it would pan out. Would they be mad if he woke them up? Would they reject his plea? He wasn't sure what sounded worse.

It takes him a few more minutes to decide, but eventually he takes a deep breath and reaches for his collar again. His fingers are shaking slightly, because of nerves or because he's tired he's not sure, but it's easy enough to secure it around his neck again. Taking his plush dragon as well, for comfort and so it doesn't feel like he's going alone, he heads into the hallway.

The door to the bathroom is still open, and the window in there lets some moonlight stream into the otherwise pitchblack corridor. It's enough for him to take the few steps to the master bedroom without tripping over his own feet.

Once in front of the door he goes down on all fours. Taking the plush toy between his teeth now, he starts to paw at the door and make quiet noises, somewhere between howles and whining. It doesn't take more than a few moments before he hears movement from the other side of the door. His nerves getting the better of him he starts to back up, but doesn't quite bolt.

Travis is the one to open the door, looking slightly confused and a little bit disgruntled. Matt can see Laura sitting up in bed behind him, the lamp on her bedside table turned on, giving him a concerned look.

“You better have a good reason for waking us up in the middle of the night, pup,” Travis mutters, before kneeling down to be on eye level with him. Again, he doesn't seem very pelased, but his tone is gentle enough, even with the next command.“What's wrong? Use your words.”

Matt hesitates again before movign a bit closer, carefully placing his toy at Travis feet. Can't speak with something blocking his mouth, after all. “I- I was wondering if I could sleep in here with you tonight?” he asks quietly, only really loud enough for Travis to hear and defintiely not looking him in the eyes. Before travis can answer him though he quickly pushes on, getting the rest of his sentence out in a rush. “It doesn't have to be your bed, of course! I can get the bedding or the crate from downstairs, o-or you could chain me up. I don't care.”

Travis face has gone from confusion to concern now, and he briefly looks over his shoulder to Laura to make sure she's thinking the same as him. When she nods, he turns back to Matt and makes sure the puppy's looking at him. The hand that isn't holding Matt's chin in place starts to gently card through his hair, and Travis notices how easily he leans into it, how he all but melts into his hand. “That's it, calm down, good boy. Puppy can't sleep, huh?” he asks gently. “Of course you can sleep with us, all you had to do was ask. C'mere.”

Before Matt can really register what's going to happen he's up in Travis' arms again, held securely as he's carried over to the bed. Laura scoots over a bit to amake some space as Travis lowers their charge down onto the mattress, right bevore crawling back in himself. He doesn't let Matt get too far though, one arm stays wrapped around his middle, keeping him close.

Wedged in between two warm bodies now, Matt feels his own limbs immediately growing heavier. Laura has cuddled up to him as well, and while she starts rubbing small circles on his chest, Travis tucks his hair back and removes the collar with his free hand. “You shouldn't sleep with that, buddy, I think your neck could use a rest as well.” The soft whine Matt gives out when he feels the leather slip away from his skin is only met with a kiss to his hair, and before he can turn around to face Travis he can see the collar being handed off to Laura. “Don't worry, you don't have to leave it out of your sight. It will stay right here, and if you really need it you can reach over and take it, alright?” She tells him, before placing it on the nightstand, right next to her glasses.

“Besides, that's not the only comfort item you brought, right?” Travis asks, voice already heavy with sleep again. Right, the dragon. Matt makes another distressed sound, realizing he'd left it on the floor in the hallway before telling Travis what he needed. Apparently his body language gives it away as well, because Laura gets up without being asked and returns a second later, handing the toy over. “There you go. Can you be a good puppy and sleep now?” she asks, getting back into bed and right back to his side as well. He nods, pressing the dragon close to his chest as he thanks her quietly.

Travis is still spooning him from behind and Laura moves up a bit so he can tuck his head under hers, curling up between the two. All in all, the position probably shouldn't be as comfortable as it is, but right now it feels like heaven to him. Within minutes, they're all fast asleep.


End file.
